University of Hawaii baseball team takes on HPU in exhibition

The Hawaii baseball team is set for a long introduction when it plays Hawaii Pacific in an exhibition game today at Les Murakami Stadium.

The first pitch is set for 11:30 a.m. There will be no admission charge.

UH coach Mike Trapasso said the game will be either 15 or 16 innings. He said he has not decided on a pitching order because he plans to use a different pitcher every inning. Trapasso also said he might use a 10- or 11-batter lineup.

“We’ll have free substitutions and different lineups, with guys at different positions,” Trapasso said.

The Rainbow Warriors are completing their second week of fall training. To break the monotony, the ’Bows have exhibition games against HPU on Saturday and Air Force on Oct. 18. The Air Force baseball team is accompanying its football team on the trip. The UH and Air Force football teams meet on Oct. 19 at Aloha Stadium. UH also will play its alumni game on Nov. 2.

The exhibitions will serve as a preview for the 2020 ’Bows, who have 15 new players.

“A lot of new faces,” Trapasso said. “That’s a good thing. Change is the only thing that stays the same.”

Among the newcomers is left-handed pitcher Trevor Ichimura, an ‘Iolani School graduate who played last season at Washington State.

Matt Campos, an infielder who redshirted last season after transferring from San Francisco, is set to play. Campos, also an ‘Iolani alumnus, was twice named to the Honolulu Star-Advertiser’s All-State first team.

Two of the ’Bows’ best hitters — outfielder Adam Fogel and second baseman Dustin Demeter — have made significant progress from injuries. Fogel missed most of the 2019 season with a shoulder injury, and Demeter sat out last season after undergoing hip surgery.

“It’s still an ongoing process for them, but so far, so good,” Trapasso said.

The ’Bows have have had three intrasquad scrimmages this fall. Saturday’s game “is going to be low-key,” Trapasso said. “We’re looking forward to it. It’ll be fun to play somebody other than in an intrasquad scrimmage.”